Stapling machine



Jan. 10, 1939.

A. L. ROSENMUND STAPLING MACHINE Filed Jan. 9, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOIF. I A.\ .ROSE.NMUND ATTZOIISNIQYS. L f

Jan, 10, 1939. A. 1.. ROSENMUND 2,143,577v

STAPLING MACHINE Filed Jan. 9, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /w m Elvrofi 0 y ALROSENM ND mm M* ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 10, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Alfred L. Rnsenmund, Rockaway, N. J., assign'or to Stapllng Machines (30., a corporation of Delaware Application January 9,

15 Claims.

7 This invention relates to staple forming and driving mechanism and particularly to that type of staple forming and driving mechanism which forms staples from staple stock wire fed thereto and drives the formed staples into work presented thereto.

It is an object of the invention to provide an i efllcient, economical and durable staple forming and driving mechanism.

It is a further object to provide stapling mech anism of the character described so constructed and arranged as to accommodate itself automatically to different surface ,levels of work to be operated upon and to drive staples firm into varying surface levels.

It is another object to provide stapling mechanism of the character described with a staple guide'so arranged and'constructed as to support the staple against crushing or spreading during a staple driving operation.

It is a timber object to provide a staple form-,- ing and driving mechanism adapted to drive a staple to correct depthin the material operated upon regardless of variations in the thickness or surface level of the material. The arrangement is such that the lower end of the driver will al-- ways be positioned the same distance from the nism of the invention and showing generally the operating connections for operating the mechanisms from a mainshaft.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a staple Iorming and driving mechanism embodying the invention, certain parts being omitted for clearness of illustration. In this view the parts are shown in neutral position, i. e., at the 45 beginning or a cycle of operation.

Fig. 3.is an enlarged perspective view of the staple guide plate which positions and supports the formed staple for a driving operation.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the staple forming 50 and driving mechanism with the parts in the same positions shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the positions a of the parts during one phase of a cycle of operation. 55 Fig. 6 is a several similar view showing the position 1936, Serial No. 58,280

of the parts upon completion of a staple driving operation and prior to their return to neutral position.

Asconducive to a better understanding of the invention it may be noted that in the manufacture of various types of boxes, crates, baskets and other shipping containers, the parts forming such containers are stapled together by a staple forming and driving mechanism which forms staples from staple stock wire automatically fed 10 thereto and drives the formed staples into the work which is progressively subjected to the action of the staple forming and driving mechanism, the work being advanced beneath said, mechanism between staple driving operations.

Such staple forming and driving mechanisms are alsoused in the manufacture of wirebound boxes, as shown in my copending application Serial No. 37,107, filed August 21, 1935, which has matured into Patent No. 2,101,457, dated De- 2o with the legs of the staple completely driven into the box parts and the head of the staple contacting or in closeproximity to the upper surface of the box parts.

To accomplish this desired result,it has been necessary heretofore tolmake adjustments in the 5 staple forming and driving mechanism for each diflerent thickness or surface level of box parts. being operated upon, or to interrupt the drive stroke of the driver, or to elevate the work to proper surface level during a staple driving operation.

For, example, in my said Patent No. 2,101,457, the formed staple is transferred to a fixed staple guide and is driven therefrom by a driver having a 'flxed drive stroke, and to accommodate materials of different thicknesses, a yielding vertically reciprocating clincher mechanism is provided to raise the work into contact with the staple guide during a driving operation.

The present invention provides a. staple guide and staple driver which are adapted automatically to accommodate themselves to varying work thicknesses or surface le'velsand'drive staples fully into the work regardless of variations in the thickness or surface level of the work.

This is accomplished by providing a vertically adjustable staple driver and means for controlling automatically its position relative to the work at the start of its drive stroke so that a full drive stroke will always terminate at the same point relative to the work and hence drive staples uniformly and fully into the work regardless of variations in the surface level of the work.

In Fig. 1 is shown a machine embodying the staple forming and driving mechanism of this invention. As there shown, the staple forming and driving units and the operating parts therefor are supported by side frames I connected and supported by suitable cross bars. The staple stock wire designated 2 which is to be fed to the staple forming and driving units is carried by a reel 3 rotatably mounted in brackets 9 hung from a rod 5 extending across the machine and supported at either end by an upright 6 and braced by a rod I secured to side frames I.

Suitably supported by cross bars of the machine is a work support 8 for the work to be operated upon. Such support may be stationary, as shown, or it may consist of a movable support in the form of endless conveyor chains or the like upon which the work may be fed beneath the staple forming and driving mechanism as shown in my said Patent No. 2,101,457. The machine may carry a plurality of staple forming and driving units to drive a plurality of rows of staples into the work, a reel 3 for staple stock wire being provided for each staple forming and driving unit. Additional reels for binding wire may be provided, as shown in my said patent.

The staple forming and driving units are carried by a-stationary cross bar 9 supported by side frames I and by a cross bar IIl adapted to reciprocate vertically in guideways II formed in side frames I. Cross bar I 9 is reciprocated vertically through link I2 by an eccentric I3 on a main shaft I l rotated from any suitable source of power.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 6, each staple forming and driving unit comprises lower and upper castings I5 and I6 detachably and adjustably mounted respectively on cross bars 9 and III.

The staple stock wire 2 is fed to the lower casting I5 through feed rolls I1 and I8, roll I! being secured to a shaft I9 journaled in side frames I, which shaft is rotated continuously as hereinafter described, and roll I8 is loosely mounted on an eccentric shaft 20 journaled in an arm 2I extending from lower -casting I5. Shaft 20 is pressed toward shaft I9 by a suitable spring.

As shown in Fig. 1, shaft I9 is rotated continuously by a pulley 23 secured to shaft I9, which pulley is rotated by a belt driven by a pulley 25 secured to main shaft Id.

The staple stock wire is fed by the feed rolls I1 and I8 through a flexible guide tube 26 which projects into lower casting I5 in a suitable position to present the wire to the staple forming and driving mechanism. As fully described in my said Patent No. 2,101,457, the staple stock wire 2 as it is fed into the stapling unit is severed and formed into a staple by a staple former 28 secured to upper casting I6 and slidable in lower casting I5 upon reciprocation of cross bar III.

The construction and operation of the staple former 28 is fully described in my said patent,

reference to which is hereby made for a detailed description.

A staple is formed upon downward movement of the staple former 28. After formation of a staple and when the staple former 28 rises, the

formed staple is shifted to a staple guide plate 29, as shown in Fig. 3, where it lies directly beneath a staple driver 30 slidably mounted for vertical reciprocation in guide plate 29. The mechanism for forming the staple and shifting it to the guide plate 29 is fully shown and described in my said patent, reference to which is hereby made for a detailed description.

While in said patent the guide plate for the staple is fixed, in the present application the guide plate 29 is adapted to slide vertically in lower casting I5. To hold guide plate 29 above the work during its passage beneath the stapler unit, there is secured to the upper part of the plate 29 a .pin 36 which contacts with and isheld in raised position by a cam pivotally mounted on lower casting I5, as shown in Fig. 2. The shape of the cam 35 is such that when in the position shown in Fig. 2,'it holds guide plate 29 above the work to be operated upon, and when rocked to the position shown in Fig. 5 the cam permits plate 29 to drop down into contact with the work (designated A) as shown in Fig. 5. To insure a prompt downward movement of the plate 29, a spring 31 is provided one end of which is secured to the pin 35 and the other end to a pin extending from lower casting I5.

To rock cam 35 to permit plate 29 to drop into contact with the work, there is secured to upper casting I6 a rod 33 carrying a lobe 3 5 which upon the upstroke of casting I6 engages cam 35 and rocks it from the position shown in Fig. 4

to the position shown in Fig. 5.

Driver 30 which slides vertically in guide plate 29 is yieldingly suspended from the upper part of staple former 28 by a spring an. The spring &0 permits vertical adjustment of the driver 30 prior to a driving operation and thus permits adjustment of the lower end of the driver to different thicknesses or surface levels of the work to be operated upon.

The driver 30 is driven and its vertical position adjusted through the action of a positioner block 42 which slides horizontally in guides 46 secured to staple former 28. As shown in Fig. 2, positioning block 42 has a tapered surface 42A which contacts with the upper end of driver 30 which is similarly tapered, the arrangement being such that when positioner block 42 is moved to the right, as shown in Fig. 4, the spring 49 will raise driver 30 to its extreme uppermost position and when positioner block 42 is moved to the left from the position shown in Fig. 4, the tapered surface 42A will force the driver 30 downwardly. The position of the upper end of the driver 3|] will of course determine the position of the lower end of the driver relative to the work at the time a driving operation is started. As the drive stroke is equal to the extent of the downward movement of cross bar I0 and is therefore constant, the position of the lower end of the driver 30 relative to the work at the time a drive stroke is started will control the extent to which the staple is driven into the work.

Mechanism is therefore provided to move positioning block 42 in accordance with the surface level of the work bei: 1g operated upon to adjust the position of the driver relative to such surface level prior to the drive stroke of the driver. Such mechanism will now be described.

Extending from the top of guide plate'29 is an arm 32, the upperend of which is bent to provide a trip 32 extending above an arm 39 of a bell crank lever 38 pivoted to staple former 28. The

other arm 39 of bell crank lever 38 is pivotally secured to positioning block 42. when staple former 28 moves upward from the neutral position shown in Figs. 2 and 4, cam will be rocked by lobe 34 on arm 33, permitting guide plate 29 to drop into contact with the work. This movement of plate 29 will position trip 32 relative to arm 39 of hell crank 38. Continued upward movement of staple former 28 carrying bell crank 38 will cause arm;39 of bell crank 38 to contact trip 32* which will hold arm 39 during continued upward movement of staple former 28 and thereby rock bell crank 38 about its pivot point and move positioning block 42 in its guides 46. As the position of work will also be controlled by the surface level of I the work.

After a driving operation guide plate 29 is raised to initial position through the action of a spring latch 43 secured to upper casting i6 and which on its downward movement snaps beneath a beveled surface 24 of cam 35 and on its upward movement rocks cam 35 to raise pin 36 and guide plate 29 to initial position.

Positioning block 42 is returned to initial position after a driving operation through theaction of a spring latch 41 which snaps over a fin 45 on bell crank 38 when the bell-crank descends, and which upon ascent of the bell crank 38 rocks it from the position shown in Fig. 6 to its initial position shown in Fig. 4.

' It will be noted that, as best shown in Fig. 3, the lower end of staple guide plate 29 is formed to completely encase and support the staple while it is being driven into the work, thus reducing the possibility of the staple being crushed or flattened out under the impact of the drive stroke and contributing to efficient and uniform staple driving.

The operation of the staple forming and driving mechanism of this invention should be clear from the foregoing description. When the machine is started the parts are in the .position shown in Figs. 2 and 4 and vertically reciprocating cross bar l0 moves upward carrying staple former 28 with it. This upward movement causes lobe-34 of arm 33 to rock cam 35 from the position shown in Fig. 4 to the position shown in Fig. 5, thus per? mitting spring 31 to move staple guide 29 down into contact with the work. This movement positions trip 32 in accordance with the surface level of the work and controls the extent of movement of positioning block 42 when trip 32 contacts and holds arm 39 of hell crank 38. I

If the. work being operated upon is thin and its surface level therefore low, guide plate 29 will work, trip .32 will be positioned a greater distance above arm 39 of bell crank 38, positioning block 42wi1l be moved a lesser distance in its guides 46, and driver 30 will be moved a lesser distance toward the work. Regardless of the surface level of the work, the driver will always be positioned the same distance from the work prior to a driving operation. 8

Upon the downstroke of cross bar In, staple driver 30 will drive the staple out of staple guide 29 into the work, and staple former 28 will form a staple for transfer to the staple guide 29 for the next driving operation, one staple being formed by the staple former while a previously formed staple is being driven by the stapler driver, all as described in detail in my said patent.

Upon completion of a driving operation the parts are in'the position shown in Fig. 6. The cross bar l0 then rises to neutral position carrying the staple former 28 and the driver 38 up with it. This upward movement rocks cam 35 through the action of spring latch 43 and raises'staple guide plate 29 to its initial position, as shown in Fig. 4. The same movement moves bell crank 38 to its initial position through the action of fin 45 and spring latch 41.

It will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiment shown for purposes of illustration as the inventive features of the invention may be variously embodied without departing from the invention.

It will also be understood that all of the inventive features need not be used conjointly as they may be used to advantage in various combinations as defined in the sub-joined claims.

I claim:

1. In a box stapling machine, mechanism for forming and driving staples into box parts comprising, in combination, a staple former fixed to a vertically reciprocating actuator, a staple driver suspended by a spring from the staple former and actuated by the staple former on its down stroke, and adjustable means interposed between the driver and the staple former and controlled by the surface level of the box parts to vary the position of the driver relative to the staple former prior to a staple driving operation.

2. In a box stapling machine, mechanism for forming and driving staples into box parts comprising, in combination, a staple former fixed to a vertically reciprocating actuator, a staple driver suspended by a spring from the staple former and actuated by the staple former on its down stroke, and adjustable means interposed between the driver and the staple former and controlled by the surface level of the box parts to vary the position of the driver relative to the staple former.

3. In a box stapling machine, mechanism for forming and driving staples into box parts comprising, in combination, a staple former fixed to a vertically reciprocating actuator, a staple driver suspended by a spring from the staple former and actuated by the staple former on its down stroke, and adjustable means interposed between the driver and the staple former to vary the position of the driver relative to the staple former.

4. In a box stapling machine, mechanism for forming and driving staples into box parts comprising, in combination, a staple former fixed to a vertically reciprocating actuator, a staple driver suspended by a spring from the staple former and actuated by the staple former on its down stroke, and adjustable means interposed between the driver and the staple former to vary the position of the driver relative to the staple former in accordance with variations in the surface level of the box parts.

5. In a box stapling machine, mechanism for forming and driving staples into box parts comprising, in combination, a reciprocating staple former, a staple driver yieldingly suspended from the staple former and actuated thereby, and adjustable means interposed between the driver and the staple former and controlled by the surface level of the box parts to vary the position of the driver relative to the staple former prior to a staple driving operation.

6. In a box stapling machine, mechanism for forming and driving staples into box parts comprising, in combination, a reciprocating staple former, a staple driver yieldingly suspended from the staple former and actuated thereby, and adjustable means interposed between the driver and the staple former and controlled by the surface level of the box parts to vary the position of the driver relative to the staple former.

7. In a box stapling machine, mechanism for forming and driving staples into box parts comprising, in combination, a reciprocating staple former, a staple driver yieldingly suspended from the staple former and actuated thereby, and adjustable means interposed between the driver and the staple former to vary the position of the driver relative to the staple former.

8. In a box stapling machine, mechanism for forming and driving staples into box parts comprising, in combination, 'a reciprocating staple former, a staple driver adjustably connected to the staple former and actuated thereby, and means controlled by the surface level of the box parts automatically to adjust the staple driver relative to the staple former in accordance with the surface level of the box parts.

9. In a box stapling machine, mechanism for forming and driving staples into box parts comprising, in combination, a reciprocating staple former, a staple driver adjustably connected to the staple former and actuated thereby, and means controlled by the surface level of-the box parts automatically to adjust the staple driver relative to the staple former.

10. In a box stapling machine, mechanism for forming and driving staples into box parts comprising, in combination, a reciprocating staple former, a staple driver actuated by the staple former, and means automatically to vary the relative positions of the driver and former in accordance with variations in the surface level of the box parts.

11. In a box stapling machine, a staple driver, a reciprocating actuator therefor, a member slidably interposed between the actuator and the driver and adapted to vary the relative positions of the actuator and the driver, and means controlled by the surface level of the box parts to move said member.

12. In a box stapling machine, a staple driver, an actuator therefor, a movable member interposed between the driver and the actuator and contacting both and adapted on movement to vary the distance between the two, and means controlled by the surface level of the work to move said member.

13. In a box stapling machine, a staple driver, an actuator therefor, a movable member interposed between the driver andthe actuator and contacting both and adapted to adjust the position of the driver relative to the actuator in accordance with variations in the surface level of the work. I

14. In a box-stapling machine, a staple driver, a reciprocating actuator therefor, and a member slidably interposed between the actuator and the driver and automatically operable for varying the relative positions of the actuator and the driver prior to a drive stroke.

15. In a box-stapling machine, a staple driver,

an actuator therefor, a movable member interposed between the driver and the actuator and contacting both and adapted on movement to vary the distance between the two, and automatically operable means to move said member.

ALFRED L. ROSENMUN D. 

